SDG implemetation - \'whole of society approach\'

Being one of the role models in achieving the Millennium Development Gaols (MDGs), Bangladesh has full political commitment in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Currently, the Government is developing a common platform to facilitate a unified, 'whole of society' approach. In particular, various agencies have spearheaded specific initiatives to align themselves better with the SDGs.
BANGLADESH'S PROPOSAL TO UN FOR INCLUSION OF SDGS: Bangladesh performed well in the implementation  of MDGs, especially in reducing child and maternal mortality, achieving gender parity in primary and secondary education, enhancing school enrollment, and rapid alleviation of poverty. Like many other nations, Bangladesh came up with a proposal of a Post-2015 Development Agenda suggesting 11 goals along with 58 targets with corresponding 241 measurable indicators to be implemented by 2030 and thus participated in the process of formulation of SDGs. Ten specific issues of Bangladesh Proposal are common with the UN-adopted SDGs. The remaining issues were also in Bangladesh proposal as targets of different goals.
INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON SDGS IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING: The highest level of government commitment is demonstrated with the formation of an inter-ministerial SDG monitoring and implementation committee. The Principal Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) convenes the committee, with the General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Commission serving as secretariat. 15 Senior Secretaries/ Secretaries/Members of Planning Commission/ministries/divisions comprise the membership of the committee. The committee will report to the Prime Minister every six months.
WHOLE OF SOCIETY APPROACH: The government has adopted a 'whole of society' approach for implementation and attainment of the SDGs. The GED in collaboration with UNRC (United Nations Resident Coordinator) in Bangladesh has organiased dialogues with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations (CSOs), development partners (DPs) and media to ensure private sector involvement in the implementation of SDGs. Thematic- and goal-wise consultation with stakeholders from private sector along with development partners on a large scale will be held regarding Action Plan and Monitoring Framework.
ADDRESSING SDGS IN NATIONAL PLAN: Bangladesh has formulated the Seventh Five-Year Plan (7FYP) to be implemented during the period of 2016 to 2020. While formulating the plan document, the proposed goals by the UN Open Working Group (OWG) UN were taken into consideration so that the probable goals of the SDGs can be incorporated in the national plan. The goals of SDGs were also given emphasis while setting up the priority areas of the 7FYP.
As the goals of the SDGs are well taken care of in the formulation process of the 7FYP, it can be said that the country is an 'early starter' in the implementation process of the SDGs.
MAPPING OF KEY MINISTRIES AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FOR SDGS IMPLEMENTATION: After aligning the SDGs with the 7FYP, the GED took the initiative to map key lead/co-lead and associate ministries/divisions which will be responsible for implementing the SDGs and achieving its specific targets. The mapping exercise focused on the roles and responsibilities of government ministries/divisions as implementing entities of SDGs and its associated 169 targets. The Allocation of Business of the government was the key to identify the lead ministries/divisions for each of the targets of SDGs. The exercise figured out that 49 ministries/divisions, including Prime Minister's Office and Cabinet Division, are directly linked with the implementation process of SDGs in Bangladesh. The implementation of SDGs will follow this mapping adopted by the Government to ensure synergies among the ministries to achieve each of the targets.
ACTION PLAN OF 7FYP TO ACHIEVE SDGS: As the 7FYP is the means of implementation of SDG targets in Bangladesh, an "Action Plan of 7th FYP to Implement SDGs" is under preparation at the Planning Commission. The responsible lead ministries/divisions, as identified in SDG Mapping, have already initiated preparation of their own action plans for implementing the SDGs. Ministries/Divisions are identifying the Actions/Activities/Interventions to achieve the SDG targets in accordance with 7th FYP for the next five years. In order to support this facilitation process by the GED, an Action Framework has been drafted in line with the Seventh Five-Year Plan and thereafter GED will arrange training workshops for the officials working in development and planning wings of the ministries/divisions/agencies. The workshop outputs will be taken into account for the action plan of each ministry/division. Furthermore, the action plan of implementing 7FYP to achieve SDGs and its associated targets will be reflected in ministries' annual work plan as well as in the newly introduced Annual Performance Appraisal (APA).
 DATA GAP ANALYSIS FOR SDGS MONITORING: A preliminary data gap analysis for monitoring SDGs has already been conducted by GED, Planning Commission. Existing surveys, management information system (MIS), census, national accounts and data generating system of several statistical organizations, including the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) are reviewed in light of UN-proposed indicators. GED will report annually on the performance assessment by the SDGs indicators. Data Gap Analysis found that data on 63 indicators are available in the existing data generating system of Bangladesh and other 67 indicators can be generated by modifying existing census (from aggregation to disaggregation), survey, MIS, etc. It also found that additional 108 indicators will require new survey or census to generate information for measuring the performance in achieving targets of SDGs. That is, a data revolution has to be worked out.
NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND COSTING FOR SDGS IMPLEMENTATION: The SDGs Needs Assessment and Costing exercise for Bangladesh will proceed through an effort of the GED to estimate the resources needed for achieving SDGs by 2030. The study is underway and is expected to be finalised by February 2017. Once the study is completed, the government will then take initiative in mobilising resources (domestic and external) for the implementation of the SDGs.
NATIONAL MONITORING FRAMEWORK FOR SDGS: SDG Monitoring Framework will be evolved on the basis of the findings of SDG Data Gap Analysis. The GED has planned to finalise the framework on the basis of Data Gap Analysis through a series of consultations with all government and non-government stakeholders. Relevant thematic or goal-wise groups will be identified considering linkages between SDG and its associated targets. The groups will hold national-level consultations.    
WEB-BASED DATA REPOSITORY SYSTEM FOR RESULTS BASED M&E: To facilitate the result-based monitoring system within the Government, a macro-level data repository system will be developed. It will include all relevant outcome and output indicators of the national development framework (e.g., Development Results Framework (DRF) of the 7th Plan and SDGs). The database will include other essential statistics that will provide the development context. In this way, the data repository system will help the government institutions, particularly GED and BBS, for results monitoring as well as contextual analysis of achieving the national development plan targets.
Professor Shamsul Alam is Member (Senior Secretary), General Economics Division (Government Focal Point for Poverty/MDGs/SDGs), Bangladesh Planning Commission.
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